The invention is based on a process of applying material with a defined structure to a carrier.
Processes for producing electrically conductive regions, such as conductive surface patterns, conductor tracks, printed circuits and the like are known. Surface patterns are applied, for example, by rolling them on or spreading them on. For planar probes, the electrodes and conductor tracks are generally applied to ceramic substrates with the screen printing technique, wherein the electrode or conductor track material can, for example, be applied as Cermet paste and subsequently sintered. Furthermore, a technique for applying an exhaust gas/oxygen/sensor electrode (Lambda probe) is known from German Laid-Open Patent Application No. DE-OS 30 14 877, for which an electrically conductive liquid or paste is injected into a hollow element by metering it and is distributed inside the hollow element by means of a finger-shaped, inflatable part. German Published Patent Application No. DE-AS 17 71 551 describes a process for printing electrical circuits onto a substrate where a conductive paste is applied to a substrate through a translatory movement of an elastic transfer device. Finally, German Published Patent Application No. DE-A1 32 25 483 describes a process for producing electrically conductive regions, wherein an electrically conductive paste is applied pointedly to predetermined regions of a preferably uneven carrier by means of an elastically deformable stamp in a printing process, and wherein the stamp is designed as printing roller as well as performs a rotational movement for applying continuous or endless patterns.
The described processes are in part very involved with respect to production technology. In addition, the known processes permit only a rather unspecific application of the electrically conductive material, so that this material frequently is also applied to places where it is technically not required. However, especially when using expensive, electrically conductive materials, it is desirable to apply those only where they are absolutely needed.